


Lover Boy

by kumofu



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cockles, Cockles Week, Dancing, Dancing Lessons, Dirty Dancing AU, M/M, WIP
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-28
Updated: 2014-07-15
Packaged: 2018-01-21 04:50:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1538240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kumofu/pseuds/kumofu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The well-known and wealthy Dr. Jake Collins decides to put his money to good use and takes his family to a highly praised holiday camp that offers a huge variety of leisure activities. Especially his son Misha is supposed to enjoy himself before the serious side of life begins. Little did he know that Misha would dedicate himself to just one activity in particular which isn't exactly his cup of tea but also involves a shifty dance teacher by the name of Jensen Ackles and Misha's descent into a world where your hips speak louder than your mouth and loyalty has more value than money. Will Jake be able to get his son out in time? Or are even his abilities not good enough to cut Misha off from his new found love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Summer at Kellerman's

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BeccastielDW](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccastielDW/gifts).



> This work originated from a prompt on tumblr from the lovely BeccastielDW and was supposed to be for Cockles week. Sadly I'm very slow and I write too much. But better late than never. ;) You can't even begin to imagine how much I hope you'll like it.
> 
> As always pls bear in mind that English isn't my first language. I did my best but can't promise high quality work. I already have a lot more story to go but no posting schedule. I'll just update this whenever I find the time ^^
> 
> And now I'm going to hide somewhere xD

### Summer at Kellerman's

You should think that Misha would be glad about the arrival of summer and the end of school, but he's not. Summer means his parents found another hell hole to spend their holidays at and as always they drag him and his sister, Lisa, along. This time it's Kellerman's. A popular all inclusive establishment where allegedly all dreams come true but Misha is pretty sure it's the place where dreams - if you're foolish enough to have any - start to mold and eventually rot away under the last rays of the setting summer sun.

Still, he can't bring himself to tell his parents just that. They are the best people he knows, and while his mother dedicated all her life to raising his sister and him, his father is a well-known doctor and his role model. He is a big part of Misha's decision to join the Peace Corp, and Misha has a hard time imagining a person who could ever earn as much adoration from him as his father. His parents deserve a lovely holiday and if this brings them joy - for whatever unknown reason - he will go along with it. After all, it can't be that bad, right?

Misha revokes that thought when they arrive at Kellerman's. Before he even gets out of the car he questions if he can keep up the mask of enjoyment because wherever his eyes travel there seems to be "boring" written all over the place. And everything is old. Not only the majority of guests but also the houses, the cars and probably a big part of the so-called entertainment. Still, he politely smiles when they take their first look around and are greeted by the owner of his prison to be.

Max Kellerman is an ex-patient of Misha's father and fits perfectly into the Kellerman profile. He's old and boring. His hair is neatly trimmed, and he wears a gray suit and a somewhat sly business smile when he shakes hands with all of them.

"Jake Collins, finally. I was waiting for the opportunity to spoil you for how long now? Well, definitely too long. Kids, I hope you don't give your father any trouble, this man is a saint. He saved my life.“

Jake just gives a small nod, and Misha knows exactly why. His father loves his work, and he's always happy to help, but he's one of those guys who think they're just doing their job and he's not interested in any unnecessary praise.

"How's the blood pressure, Max?“

Max laughs like he never heard anything that funny and keeps grinning like an idiot. "Better than ever. And I suggest you keep it up, too. There's a dance class near the main house in an hour. You should check it out. The teacher, Danneel Harris, used to be a Rockette.“

Misha's parents look interested, and he's thinking about a way out when Max suddenly turns around. "Billy, get the bags!“

Only now Misha notices the guy behind Max. He seems to be his age and jumps at the command like a dog. "Right away, Doc.“

He takes the keys from Misha's father and passes him to get to the trunk and Misha decides to help him. It's not like he misses out when he doesn't listen to Max who's listing all the different activities they can spend their time with. Billy starts to lift the first bags out of the trunk and a broad smile appears on his face when Misha helps him.

"Hey, you want a job here?“

Misha shakes his head and tries to decide if Billy is trustworthy. Somehow it seems that way. "I'm not even sure I want to vacation here.“

Billy takes a side glance at Max and winks at Misha. "It's not all bad. Believe me.“

At that moment Misha believed Billy, but the second they start their dance class he's not so sure anymore. He and his sister are the youngest participants, and the music is an insult to his ears. He would even go so far as to call it torture. Just like the dancing. They stand in a line and walk awkwardly to the left and right and because no one has a clue what they're doing they all just stare at their feet and try very hard not to stomp on someone else's. Of course, Misha does. Fortunately for him, it's just his sister who rolls her eyes and waddles away from him to get her feet to safety.

The only good thing about the class is the teacher. Misha has no problem believing she was one of The Rockettes. Her beauty alone is hard to describe. She has gorgeous brown hair that covers her shoulders in waves and gets lighter wherever the sun hits it. One time when she's right in front of him to show the steps he can make out her eyes. They are also brown but sparkle with a speck of gold when she smiles.

She has the kind of eyes you want to stare into for hours at a time. At least when you're into that stuff. And when you're into girls which Misha clearly isn't. It's not that he doesn't like to look. It's hard not to stare because Danneel has a figure most women would probably kill for but for him, it's like looking at art. She's blessed with warm vibes and natural gracefulness that just makes you comfortable in her presence, but that's it. She could sit naked in his lap, and he would talk about the weather.

Even Billy was more interesting for Misha, but while they took care of the luggage, he got a lot of friendly smiles and a pat on the shoulder which convinced him that Billy is one of the straight arrows. The memory brings a smile to his face because at least he found a sort of friend who could help him through the vacation. The smile fades when Danneel asks them to form two lines, and they start to walk in circles like they're back in kindergarten. It only gets worse when she tells them to pair with the person next to them, and Misha ends up with a woman who probably went to school with Amun and is a little bit too handsy for his taste.

### two kinds of help

Fortunately for him, Amun's highschool sweetheart was the only one Misha had to dance with, and he and his feet made it out of the class alive. Still, he decides to check out the main house before dinner as to avoid any more unwelcome developments. He's about to walk into the dining hall when he sees Max surrounded by the waiters for the evening and grins when he realizes that Max instructs them to flirt with the guests.

He shouldn't be surprised because he worked as a waiter himself for short periods in the summer and knew that a well-placed wink or smile could be worth quite a few dollars but it's nice to see how Max's stiff and uber-friendly attitude falters when it comes to business.

"Schlepp them out to the terrace, show them the stars. Romance them any way you want.“

Suddenly a deep voice rolls into the room like a wave.

"You got that guys?“

The words are followed by a small group of people who couldn't be more different from the staff if they tried. There are no white and golden uniforms but short skirts and sleeveless shirts. Misha doesn't know who spoke the words but Max turns to one guy in particular, and when Misha looks at him, he can feel his jaw drop. No person on this earth should look good in a shirt colored like a watermelon, but this guy does. He's the most delicious piece of eye candy Misha ever laid eyes on.

Max doesn't seem to care. He gets into the guy's face in an instant, and his head turns from pale to dark red while he speaks. Misha is pretty sure that his father wouldn't be too happy about Max's blood pressure right now.

"Listen, wise ass; you got your own rules. Dance with the guests. Teach them any dance they want, anything they pay for. That's it. No funny business, no conversations and keep your hands off!“

The other guy stays silent throughout Max's rant, but by now Misha is pretty sure that it was his voice he heard earlier. This in addition to his looks make Misha want to kneel down and cry. Not only is his body shaped like he got a shitload of Cinyras' genes but Misha can see his fucking eyelashes from 30 feet away across the room. Life just isn't fair sometimes.

When Max is done with his rant, there's a moment of silence, but the only answer he gets from Adonis is a very clenched jaw until another guy speaks up.  
„It's the same at all these places. Some ass in the woods but no conversation.“  
The others laugh and Max storms off without one more word. Released from his presence the waiters continue to prepare the tables and one of them glances at the green wrapped god of perfection.

"Can you keep that straight, Jensen? What you can and can't lay your hands on?“

Adonis takes a step in his direction and Misha fears for a moment that he might hit him but instead he knocks over a few napkins on the table and delivers one more pissed off line that sounds like a growl.

"You just put your pickle on everybody's plate and leave the hard stuff to me.“

The other guy doesn't respond and when Jensen and the rest of the entertainment group leave, Misha backs away, too. He has no intention of getting himself involved in such a childish fight. His father taught him better than that.


	2. split in two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to wait too long with posting so here you go ^^

### split in two

The dinner itself went by as dull as Misha presumed. Their waiter, Robbie, was a little bit too interested in his sister and he will have an eye on that, but first, he has to save himself. Max also introduced them to his grandson Neil and although Misha tries he can't shake him off. They end up dancing, and Neil babbles about some stupid things he wants to do with his stupid friends. Meanwhile, Misha works on a plan to escape, but he can't think of anything without being rude.

There's unexpected aid after the first dance, though. When the music plays again the people around them scatter to make room and Misha freezes where he stands when he sees for whom. Jensen and Danneel. They're just a few steps into the dance, and people are already staring at them. And for a good reason. There should be a law against too much beauty in one place. Aside from that, those two can dance.

Jensen spins Danneel around so fast that Misha has a hard time even following the movements. No step is misplaced, and they're in perfect harmony with the music. As if that isn't enough Jensen lifts Danneel's leg up to his shoulder and without hesitation she lets herself fall back and doesn't even hold on to Jensen anymore. He takes a few steps back and moves her along with him, and while she seems perfectly comfortable with it, Misha holds his breath. He can't imagine how it must feel like to have enough trust in somebody to do that. Neil, on the other hand, isn't very excited about their little performance.

"They shouldn't show off with each other. That's not gonna sell lessons."

Although Misha already knows their names, this seems to be an excellent opportunity to get information, so he plays dumb. "Who are they?“

"The dance people. They're here to keep the guests happy.“

His answer adds one more to the list of things Misha doesn't like about Neil. He acts like he's already the manager but can't remember the names of his staff? Or he just doesn't care, and to Misha, that's even worse.

Maybe that's the reason he feels real satisfaction when Jensen and Danneel start to show off and their moves become more daring. At some point, Jensen even lifts Danneel over his head, and when she comes down again, he catches her just inches before she hits the ground. That causes a round of applause from the audience but to Misha's surprise the couple suddenly parts and they start to invite other people to dance.

A very red headed Max in the middle of the crowd might be the reason but before Misha can think about it Neil's voice finds its way into his head. "I'm in charge of the games tonight. Would you like to help me get things started?“

At some point in his life, Misha needs to learn how to say no. Up until now, it seems he just can't do it, and that may be the reason why people nicknamed him 'Angel'. Unfortunately, he missed the opportunity again tonight and ended up on stage, trapped in a box and fake sawed in half. After that he felt like he reached his personal low when he walked off the stage with a living and very active chicken as a prize.

The only good thing about it is that Neil has to stay for the rest of the show and Misha takes the chance to just leave. He's more of an outdoor person anyway and the first steps into the night feel like medicine after a day like this. It gets even better when he passes a very appealing sign that states „Staff quarters. No guests please.“ After his little performance just minutes ago you can easily call him staff, right? And Misha doesn't care very much about rules anyway so he starts to follow the path.

It winds its way up a little hill and Misha can make out some kind of bungalow on top. It's well-lit and faint music reaches him. Curious he picks up the pace and when he's about to cross a bridge he spots a familiar figure and shouts out to him.

„Hey!“ Billy turns around but has problems with it, maybe due to the three watermelons he tries to carry and almost drops when he sees him. „How did you get here?“

„I was taking a walk.“

„Go back.“

Of course, Misha doesn't. Instead, he takes one of the melons from Billy. „Let me help you.“ Billy still looks uncomfortable, and that gets Misha even more curious. „What's up there?“

Immediately Billy shakes his head. „No guests allowed. House rules.“

Misha doesn't move because the sign basically stated the same words and didn't manage to hold him off. Billy seems to get that much and decides to hit below the belt instead. „Why don't you go back to the playhouse? I saw you dancing with little boss man.“

The only response he gets from Misha is a watermelon into his face, and that changes his mind. „Can you keep a secret?“

Misha was about to walk away but now he looks at Billy and waits for more to come. „Your parents would kill you. Max would kill me.“ Misha only smiles and takes the watermelon back from Billy. Whatever it is he gets to see up that mountain can only be good.

### forbidden fruit

The first words rushing into Misha's mind when Billy opens the door are "den of iniquity". Compared to the dancing at the main house this is Sodom and Gomorrah. He sees even shorter skirts and tighter shirts than before on the entertainment staff and some of the dancers even miss entire parts of clothing. His first impression is also altered by the fact that people aren't exactly dancing but grinding against each other and their hands are anywhere but the usual shoulders and backs of their dance partners.

Misha stops staring at the mess of entangled bodies when Billy bumps his shoulder against Misha's.

"You wanna try it?"

He shakes his head and follows Billy through the crowd, still looking left and right to take in as much as possible from this spectacle. It's not that he doesn't like what he sees or doesn't want to try it but he just can't dance. Of course he sways his hips to a song while cooking or performs a stunning drum solo with wooden spoons but there's no technique behind it and he's pretty sure no one would want to watch him.

He takes his eyes away from a very intriguing guy to finally get rid of the watermelon and takes a place at the bar next to Billy. With his parents around he can't exactly get drunk but a little something could soothe the horrible memories from this day. It doesn't take long and the music, flickering lights and rhythmic movements of the people lull him into a comfortable state of nothingness. It feels good. He can sit here and just be himself for a moment, not holding up the mask he normally uses to interact with people. He's at peace.

At least up until the moment when the front doors open again and personified sex-appeal walks in. Jensen and Danneel. They must be done with their show and although they still wear their more classy clothes they immediately join the others on the dance floor. After five seconds Misha knows he's staring at them again but he just can't help it. Freed from Max's restrictions they show what they really can do and Misha has a hard time keeping his jaw in place. He's so obvious that Billy picks up on it.

"That's my cousin, Jensen Ackles. And Danneel Harris. You already had a dance lesson with her, right?"

Misha nods but doesn't take his eyes away from them.

"They look great together."

"Yeah, you would think they're a couple, wouldn't you?"

"Aren't they?"

Up until now Misha hasn't even thought about it but in the back of his mind he just assumed they were together. How could you not while dancing like this? Billy shakes his head.

"Not since we were kids."

The word "kids" rings in Misha's ears and maybe there's some justice in the universe after all. Just imagine a kid from those two. A smile that could destroy the world. He's so caught up in the thought he doesn't notice the person in front of them until he speaks and the voice sends a shiver down his spine.

„What's he doing here?“

Misha looks up and holds his breath for a moment. Jensen is so close he could touch him. He'd only have to lift his arm. Instead he stares at his face and feels unable to go on from there because up close he can make out Jensen's eyes. They're green. Just green. But Misha has always been blessed with a vivid imagination and in seconds his head is filled with pastures which stretch out for miles, full of juicy gras covered in morning dew.

There's a forest, chirping birds, branches touching the ground and wind rustling through the leaves. It's life just there to breath in. Misha actually takes a swig of air to speak but Billy is faster than him.

„He came with me. He's with me.“

Misha knows Billy is defending him because he shouldn't be here but there's something else in his voice. Like pride. He didn't think that Billy would be so glad to drag him along and while he's thankful for his companion he still doesn't want to give Jensen a false impression of their relationship. He needs to say something to clarify what Billy means.

„I carried a watermelon.“

Jensen looks at him with an unreadable expression and just walks away and Misha whispers the words to himself again like he needs to confirm how stupid he sounded.

„I carried a watermelon.“

I does sound stupid. Normally he's known for his wit and use of fancy words. This was probably the dumbest thing he's ever said in his entire life. Oh, what a poet he is.

He's tempted to just leave but Billy manages to hold im in a conversation and after a while he forgets his little faux-pas and starts to enjoy the music enough to move a little bit with it. He even watches the dancers again and can't help but goggle at Jensen and Danneel once in a while. One time when he tries very hard not to stare Jensen walks away from Danneel and dances his way through the crowd until he ends up in front of – well shit – him.

Misha swallows and his mind already races to come up with something to say that wouldn't make him a total idiot again. Fortunately for him Jensen doesn't say anything at all. He just gives him a little nod and his hands reach for Misha's. To Misha's surprise there's no electric shock or weird tension when he touches him. It feels natural. Like something they did a thousand times before and Jensen's hands are warm and inviting.

Misha lets himself get dragged to the dance floor and moved into place. Jensen pushes him down by the waist and nudges his shoulders up while giving instructions.

„Bend your knees. Down. Don't watch your feet, watch my eyes.“

Misha doesn't know if he can do it. After all he's supposed to dance and Jensen's eyes are very distracting. Still he tries and Jensen doesn't take his eyes away from him even when his hands settle on Misha's hips again to show him how to move.

„That's better. Now roll this way.“

Although Misha is pretty sure he looks utterly stupid he tries to follow Jensen's instructions and it's hard not to enjoy himself because Jensen heaps praise on him whenever he manages to move at all.

„Yes, very good. Look.“

Maybe he shouldn't be that obedient but he holds Jensen's gaze and instead of kind words he gets a growing smile the more his movements are in sync with the music. You could say that Jensen just overwrites his system. There's no more thought about looking stupid or if he can dance. Guided by the music they just move together and end up violantly grinding against each other with Misha's arms around Jensen's neck and Jensen's warm breath brushing over Misha's ear.

He's actually glad when the song is over and Jensen just leaves him there at the dance floor. Green eyes may not know it but he made a mistake. Misha is not the person to force himself onto others but if you invite him in he can be very persistent. And he learned to read a person. Jensen isn't unlike him. That's what Misha saw in the main room with Max. Jensen has this unmoved mask that would provide him with protection. But while dancing with him Jensen slipped and Misha knows there's a whole different person buried inside. The good news is he has three weeks to dig. And he will. No matter how deep.


	3. not mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how quickly I can post stuff over the week so here's another one.

### not mine

Angel. What a stupid nickname. And whoever came up with it probably never danced with blue eyes. But Jensen did. And he didn't imagine how the guy was grinding against him like he was just seconds away from taking his clothes off right there on the dance floor. And Jensen was really tempted to do just that but then Max's voice ringed in his ears. 

„Keep your hands“ off is maybe a good idea when it comes to well behaved, rich mama's boys who just want to have a little fun while being on vacation. Still Jensen can't get this one out of his head. When he dragged him to the dance floor it felt like someone gave him a present. Neatly wrapped in shiny paper. But what if he could just take a few layers off …

„The dance lessons really start to pay off, don't you think?“

Jensen nods automatically and decides that he should pay attention to the woman he's dancing with instead of fantasizing about a guy he shouldn't even talk to.

„You're getting better every day, Mrs. Pressman.“

She laughs but shakes her head.

„I told you to call me Vivian, honey.“

He can't reply because suddenly someone grabs him by the arm and drags him away without explanation. It's the stupid grandson of Max, Neil. Jensen doesn't exactly mind to get away from Mrs. Pressman but offending her isn't a good idea when it comes to his tips and he really can use the money. Besides it never ends well when Neil talks to him.

„Where's Danneel? Everybody's been asking for her.“

Jensen feels guilt crushing him because he didn't even notice she's been missing. But wherever she is, it's not Neil's business.

„What do you mean, where's Danneel? She's taking a break. She needs to take a break.“

Neil is not pleased with his answer but Mrs. Pressman is still near and he can't give him the usual treatment without looking like an asshole.

„As long as it's not an all-night break.“

Jensen doesn't bother to give him an answer but returns to Mrs. Pressman and just tries to get through the evening without worrying about Danneel or think about a certain angel. He actually manages it for quite a while until someone taps him on the shoulder and he's dragged away from his current dance partner again. This time it's Billy. Before Jensen can ask what his problem is, Billy comes close to whisper in his ear.

„Misha saw Danneel in the kitchen and apparently she's crying. Something's wrong.“

Jensen doesn't wait for more and suddenly he can't care less about his tips. He just feels more guilt growing inside of him. Danneel had a really hard time recently and he should have checked on her instead of schmoozing the rich and lonely. Billy follows him when he makes his way to the kitchen and Jensen gets even more upset when he realizes that Misha comes along, too.

„Why's he here?“

„In case Neil comes back.“

The only answer Jensen can articulate is a grunt. He saw Misha dancing with Neil yesterday and tried very hard not to judge him for it but he saw them together again today and Billy just confirmed that they're hanging out with each other quite some time. He doesn't like it at all and he doesn't want any stories to go around about Danneel.

„Danneel just doesn't think.“

He wants to say more but because of the lack of care he provided for her he can't exactly say much about her state of mind right now and Billy manages to make him feel even worse.

„She wouldn't do anything stupid, would she?“

He wants to say no but after all he knows the shitty situation she's in. Unlike Misha.

„So what's wrong? What's the matter with her?“

Jensen has no interest in sharing their problems with Neil's new bestie but Billy just can't keep his mouth shut sometimes.

„She's knocked up, Angel.“

„Billy!“

Jensen feels his anger rising but he can't decide if it's about Billy broadcasting Danneel's pregnancy or the fact that he uses Misha's nickname so casually. Seems like Angel is buddy-buddy with anyone. And obviously he doesn't know when to shut up.

„What's he gonna do about it?“

The question hits him hard and he should just ignore it but he can't. It's one thing if Misha likes to stay in his class by befriending Neil but Jensen doesn't take shit from anyone.

„What's he gonna do about it? It's mine, right? Right away it's mine.“

Misha looks at him like he actually slapped him and his voice is very thin when he speaks again.

„But I thought ...“

Jensen doesn't care what he thinks. He turns his back on the fucking rich kid and storms off to get to one of the most important people in his life.

He found Danneel in the kitchen and she was so upset that in the end he just picked her up and carried her back to her room while he tried to tell her that everything would be okay. Of course she didn't believe him but after a while she's fine enough to talk again.

„I'll take care of it.“

„You should've come to me in the first place.“

„Forget it, Jensen. I'm not taking what's left of your salary.“

„Danneel, that's my business.“

She shakes her head.

„And besides, it wouldn't be enough.“

Jensen want's to object but they both know she's right and it breakes his heart when she tears up again.

„Oh god, it's hopeless.“

There are a thousand things Jensen wants to say but they just don't cover it and suddenly another voice cuts through the silence.

„Don't say that. There's gotta be a way to work it out.“

Jensen totally forgot that Billy and Misha followed them here and when he looks up at Misha he has to hold in a laugh. That stupid kid is so naive that he actually believes what he's saying and when Danneel talks to him, her voice is dripping with annoyance. 

„Angel? Is that your name? You know what, Angel? You don't know shit about my problems.“

It could have been over with just that but it's another bright moment for Billy.

„I told him.“

That brings Danneel over the edge.

„Jesus, Billy! He's gonna tell his management boyfriend and then we'll all get fired. Why not skywrite it? Danneel got knocked up by Robbie, the creep!“

„Robbie?“

The disbelief in Misha's voice kicks Jensen right into the gut. Where the hell did this guy grow up to be so gullible? Especially when it comes to people like Neil or Robbie. He really wants to give him a piece of his mind but instead he ends up comforting Danneel while Billy tries to explain their plan to Misha.

Jensen doesn't like it at all. Of course Danneel isn't in a position to take care of a child but their so called plan is to get her to a doctor who's about to travel through here and let him perform an abortion. He tried to talk her out of it but from what he gathered Danneel rather dies than having a kid from Robbie and he just cares to much for her to say no. After all it's her decision. 

Still there's the problem with the money. Of course the doctor wouldn't help them just out of the kindness of his heart and none of them has enough money to pay him. But of course Angel has a solution for this as well.

„But if it's Robbie, there's no problem. I know he has the money. I'm sure if you tell him ...“

Danneel doesn't let him finish the sentence and her voice is full of defeat when she speaks.

„He knows.“

Jensen can see how that knocks everything out of Misha and his heart somewhat breaks for the guy. He wishes he could get back to a state of mind where he could be so full of hope and appreciation of life, back to a point in time when he didn't know how cruel the world and the people in it can be. At least Billy finally comes to his senses and gets Misha out of there and Jensen spends the next hour with soothing Danneel until she finally falls asleep.

### grounded

If Jensen had a say in it Danneel would have stayed in today but she just goes about her business like nothing happened and for her sake Jensen tries to do the same. Apparently everyone else does, too. On his way to a dance class Jensen spots Misha in the crowd and takes a detour through some bushes so he wouldn't run into him but he still can't help but watch for a moment. For whatever weird reason Misha is wearing a wig while putting wigs on other people's heads and when Misha walks out from behind a table Jensen almost chokes. Why the hell is he wearing a dress?

Okay, maybe it's not a dress. It's looks more like the uniform of a waitress. And Misha is barefoot. All in all he's floating back and forth between different people with his endearing smile and although Jensen can't hear him he knows that he talks to them in this warm and soothing voice Jensen only got to listen to for this short moments when he said something nice or cute. I carried a watermelon. A little smile makes its way on Jensen's lips and suddenly he totally gets why they call him Angel. 

And he hates him for it. Because Jensen doesn't even want to know him. As long as they don't pay him he doesn't need to care for the rich and snooty guests. Even while dancing in really uptown shows he never looked down on anybody. Even when he managed to get fans who threw themselves at him he never forgot where he came from. He has both feet firmly on the ground and he will always be that way. Misha is an angel. Unreachable in the sky. They will never fly together.

Jensen takes a deep breath to just blow the stupid thoughts out of his head and walks on without looking at Misha again. He has a full day of dance lessons ahead of him and if he worries about anyone today it will be Danneel. The thought stays with him through the following hours and he can't stop thinking about a solution. There's actually one option but Jensen always managed to stay clear from it and Danneel would probably kill him for even thinking about it but he always provided for her as best as he could and he always will. If that means he has to get a little more friendly with some of the guests it's a little price to pay. Mrs. Pressman for example would be all over him in a second. 

The idea burns in the back of his mind and even stays with him when he's back in the bungalow and dancing with Danneel. She didn't say a word but forced him to dance with her and he moves along until they get lost between the other people and in the music. It's the one thing they both know how to do and it always kept them sane and alive. They would manage somehow.

„Here's the money.“

Jensen almost jumps out of his skin when Misha's damn voice hits them and Danneel stares at him in disbelief.

„You got it from Robbie?“

Misha slowly shakes his head.

„No. You were right about him.“

„Then where'd you get it?“

„You said you needed it.“

Danneel's face lights up a bit and it's the first glimmer of hope Jensen saw there for a while.

„Is this kid for real?“

Jensen isn't sure what to make of this. Why would Misha even care? And he just provided Danneel with the means to get herself a dangerous treatment. Something starts to burn in his stomach and makes its way out of his mouth.

„Takes a real saint to spend peanuts when you're rich.“

He doesn't get an answer from Misha but Danneel hands him the money back.

„Thanks, Angel, but I can't use it.“

Jensen's thoughts take an instant turn and he holds her arm when she tries to walk away.

„What? What's the matter with you? You should take the money.“

Billy answers the question instead of her.

„I can only get her an appointment for Thursday.“

Now Jensen understands but Billy keeps talking to fill Misha in as well.

„They do their act at the Sheldrake on Thursday. If they cancel, they lose this season's salary and next year's gig.“

Jensen can almost see how Misha's brain starts to work and he's pretty sure that another unrealistic plan starts to form in there.  
„What's the Sheldrake?“

„It's another hotel where they do their mambo act.“

„Can't someone else fill in?“

And there it is. The anger burns through Jensen like a wildfire.

„No, Mr. Fix-it! Somebody else can't. Maria has to work all day. She can't learn the routines. And Janet has to fill in for Danneel. Everybody works here.“

He probably should shut up but years of frustration pour out of him. Being poor is one thing but at least most people were hard workers. A dancer on the other hand is poor and useless and Jensen is so sick of people who think like this. And for some reason he just don't want Misha do be one of those people. He wants him to understand.

„You wanna do it? Take time out from your holiday?“

Again Misha doesn't reply and the moment ist just bound for one of Billy's stupid comments.

„It's not a bad idea.“

Jensen snorts.

„It was a joke.“

„He can move.“

For once Billy is right but Jensen doesn't care to admit it.

„It's the dumbest idea I have ever heard of.“

Billy shakes his head and finally Misha decides to join the conversation.

„I really can't dance.“

Jensen nods in approval.

„See?“  
That should be the end of it but now even Danneel stabs him in the back.

„You're a strong partner. You can lead anybody.“

Jensen laughs but it's without humor. He's a good dancer, not a magician.

„He cannot do it.“

He's about to leave it at that and get to work on his other plan. If he leaves now he's sure he can get Mrs. Pressman to take her part very quickly. He just didn't take into account how weird Misha really is. The way those blue eyes are suddenly fixed on him make his legs go weak and Misha's voice is laced with a daring tone.

„You know what? I'm game. Tell me when you're ready to really take care of the hard stuff.“

He turns around on his heel and leaves before his words even reach Jensen's brain and Billy just picks up where he left off. 

„That was very uncalled for, you know?“

Jensen knows he really shouldn't be angry with him but the fact that Billy defends some stranger over his own cousin is just the tip of the iceberg and he has to force the next word out.

„What?!“

„Don't get me wrong, I know where you're coming from but Angel really isn't that bad. He confronted Robbie about the whole thing and told him to stay away from his sister. When Robbie didn't care he dressed himself up like a waitress and organized some game for the guests to dress up as well and spend money for a good cause. What he gave Danneel isn't money he just had laying around. It took him the whole day to get it together but he didn't stop until he got it.“

Jensen doesn't know what to say to this and Billy shrugs his shoulders.

„Just give him a little credit, that's all I'm saying. And you better take his offer because I sure as hell won't dance with you.“

Before he can answer he feels Danneel's hand on his shoulder and he knows exactly what she's about to say. She doesn't want him to do it for her. Nice try. He shakes his head for her and then nods at Billy who almost flies out of the room.

„Perfect. I'll tell him.“


	4. treasure hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a day off tomorrow which means I have time for posting ^^ (as if I nead a reason). Hope you enjoy it.
> 
> I think I fixed the apostrophe issue ;) The "up" and "down" is really the German version. For whatever reason ...

### treasure hunt

When Misha walked out of the bungalow he wasn't exactly happy but he already made peace with his situation. Someone else might have cried over the wasted day but Misha doesn't see it that way. He made money by amusing some people and if Danneel won't take it there are enough charities he could give it to.

The only thing that bothers him is what Jensen apparently thinks of him. His father sure makes a lot of money and yes, they decided to use it for a nice holiday but it's not like he lights his Cohiba cigars with hundred dollar bills in front of starving children.

"Hey, angel!"

Maybe it's destiny because Billy catches up to Misha when he's in the middle of the bridge where this whole dancing thing started. Misha sighs.

"I'm sorry I just left but I can take a hint."

Billy shakes his head.

"You shouldn't be sorry. I have to apologize. You know, he can be a dick sometimes but let's just say the dance people don't get treated that well."

"I gathered that much from the way Max and Neil talk about them. That doesn't mean I'm like them."

His voice comes out a little harsher than he intended. After all it's not Billy's fault who raises his hands now to calm him down.

"I know, I know. I guess that's what bothered him the most."

The words set something in motion in Misha's stomach but he can't really grasp why.

"Bothered who and what?"

"Jensen. That you hang around with Neil. But it's none of his business."

There's more motion but Misha forces his brain to take over.

"Why should he care?"

Billy laughs.

"Because he cares about everyone and everything. I don't just hang around with him because he's my cousin but because he's a good guy. It takes a little effort to get to him but it's worth it."

That's not exactly news to Misha and he tried but he reached the end of his rope pretty quickly.

"Why are you even telling me this?"

"I thought I give you a heads up. After all you are the one who has to dance with him."

"He said no."

"And now he changed his mind."

Misha doesn't like it. Jensen doesn't strike him as someone who waveres like that.

"Why?"

Billy shrugs his shoulders.

"Maybe he likes your eyes. Maybe he wants to make a rich guy sweat. Maybe he wants to see you suffer. I don't know. Jensen isn't exactly an open book."

"So you're deliberately throwing me into the lion's den. How thoughtful."

A wide grin spreads over Billy's face.

"God never gives us more than we can handle."

Now it's Misha who laughs.

"You actually think I can handle him?"

He gets another shrug.

"I don't know. But I think you're the kind of guy who's crazy enough to try."

That's not the first time someone told Misha exactly that and it's true. He loves riddles. And according to Billy Misha was right. Jensen is a well buried treasure. It seems he's going to start digging after all.

 

Misha meditated himself to sleep and in the morning he had an extensive run through the near woods to gather his thoughts. If Jensen is as hard to deal with as Billy predicted he has to make sure that he's on top of his game. Which includes not to be distracted and Misha really hopes he can manage that. He walks very slowly back to the bungalow and takes a few deep breaths before he knocks on the door. There's no answer so he waits a moment and knocks again.

"What the ...? Come in!"

Misha opens the door and the first thing he sees are glaring green eyes fixated on him.

"What are you doing?!"

He looks down on himself and back to the door to decipher what Jensen means but he has no idea.

"I don't know."

"Why did you knock?"

That's an odd question, isn't it? Misha shrugs his shoulders and his answer turns into a question.

"Manners?"

Jensen snorts and turns away from him.

"Sorry, I forgot you're one of the sophisticated people."

Was he supposed to fall for that? It seems like Jensen actually wants to argue with him. But he really needs to set better traps than that to catch him. Misha just walks over to him and tries to sound as friendly as possible.

"Where do we start?"

After fumbling at the stereo to get the music started, Jensen turns to him again.

"I think we should ..."

He doesn't finish the sentence and instead he eyes Misha from head to toe. This can't be good.

"What?"

Jensen looks up again and reaches for him to tuck at his sweater.

"Please tell me you wear a shirt under there."

"Um, no. Why?"

He can't help but sound as stupid as he feels and his whole preperation goes down the drain because Jensen smiles at him now and there aren't many things that make him this nervous.

"I don't know about you, buddy, but when I engage in physical activity I tend to sweat."

There's silence for a moment and Misha fights against himself but then his mouth opens on its on accord.

"Well, it is called a sweater."

Misha would've expected a lot of different reactions from Jensen but not this one. He bends over and laughs so hard that Misha has to laugh with him and when Jensen comes back up again he wipes tears from his eyes.

"You're an idiot."

There's this weird feeling in his stomach again because for the first time Jensen doesn't sound annoyed and although he technically insulted him it feels good. Friendly.

Jensen shakes his head and walks to a door at the end of the room.

"You take care of the music and I'll get you a shirt."

Misha isn't very keen to get in contact with devices that don't belong to him because he tends to break them. Still he studies the stereo and pushes a few buttons. Getting Jensen to laugh could have been just the icebreaker he needed and Jensen obviously likes to order people around. Maybe it's better to just go with it for now.

The music starts when Jensen walks back into the room and he chuckles when he hands Misha a shirt. Misha takes it but focuses on Jensen's amused expression.

"What's so funny?"

Jensen leans back against the counter next to the stereo and points at it.

"That's Wipe Out. The Surfaris, right? So you like old songs? Fits the sweater I guess."

Misha shrugs his shoulders because the song was just the first one he liked.

"It's on your stereo."

He gets another smile from Jensen.

"Touché."

The sudden change to friendly claws at Misha's put-on demeanor and he looks down at the shirt to avoid Jensen for a moment. It's a simple grey but with big red letters at its front. AC/DC. He holds it up with his eyebrows raised as well.

"I'd be okay with that, too. But I'm not sure we could dance to that."

Jensen's face tells him he'd have some ideas even for this kind of music but instead he points to a folding-screen in one corner of the room.

"You can change behind there if ..."

He doesn't finish the sentence because Misha already pulls the sweater over his head. Jensen almost gutted him for knocking. He sure as hell won't have him laughing about him being prudish. Still he regrets the decision when his head comes out of the sweater and Jensen hasn't moved at all. His eyes rest on Misha's torso and that damn feeling takes root in Misha's stomach again and starts to travel through his whole body.

He fears to blush or anything stupid like that but then again he's not the one gawking at a little exposed skin. He places his sweater next to the stereo and bends forward a little to catch Jensen's eye.

“I'm sorry. Am I offending you again?“

Finally Jensen's gaze comes back to Misha's face and his tongue tips against his upper lip for a second like he's thinking about something.

“No. I'm just not very happy with your pants.“

Misha should really just ignore all of this and dance with Jensen. After all that's what he's here for but it's so hard to resist when Jensen throws this shitload of mixed signals at him. Maybe he should test the waters.

“You know, if you wanted me naked you could have just said so from the start.“

The look he gets from Jensen is surprised but not offended and even turns into a smug smile.

“Buddy, if I wanted you naked, you would be.“

There's a moment of silence where they just stare at each other and Misha demonstrates he's the only one to decide if he's naked or not by slipping into the shirt. 

“What's wrong with my pants?“

Jensen looks down on him again and shrugs.

“Aside from your non existing fashion sense I doubt you can move that good in them and they're too loose. With your bad movement skills you could get tangled up pretty easy.“

“So you want me to wear tights?“

Jensen laughs again and pride rushes through Misha because he made him. 

“Can you pull that off?“

“I like to think so. If not I can still pull them off.“

“As long as you wear nice underwear.“

Misha just smiles at him to leave this part to Jensen's imagination and gets another laugh for it but with it the tension is gone and Jensen seems to remember why they are here. 

“Get over there.“

He points in the middle of the room and while Misha gets in position he starts the music again before he joins him.

“Just watch my feet and try to follow my steps, okay?“

“Sure.“

Easier said than done. Misha tries over and over again but just can't get it right. To Jensen's utter disappointment.

“No! What the hell are doing? You do it once and then you start from the beginning. Why do you start with the other foot?“

Misha sighs. If he knew the answer to that, he wouldn't do it wrong.

“I don't know.“

Jensen buries his face in his hands.

“How can you not know? It's your body. You're the one controlling it. I mean, you're not possessed, are you?!“

Misha senses a rhetorical question and keeps his mouth shut. Jensen tangles on the edge anyway and it might not be a good idea to push him over. Fortunately for him Jensen takes a deep breath and looks down on his watch.

“Let's just start from there tomorrow. There's another bathroom upstairs if you want to shower and you can just leave the shirt.“

Misha just nods and leaves Jensen with all the frustration they built up in the last hours and when he slippes out of the shirt it feels like he's loosing that little part of Jensen he thought he won when they started the lesson. Life just isn't fair sometimes.


	5. the right path

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a headache ... so posting as a cure? xD Have fun (hopefully)!

### the right path

It's 5 am in the morning and Jensen didn't really sleep all night. Misha's eyes are judging him whenever he tries to close his own and he hates it because it's his own fault. The guy told him he can't dance but he still tries to help out Danneel. And instead of helping him Jensen just got frustrated and blamed him for their failure.

He'd like to think that he could do better today but he's still so angry and doesn't even know why. Maybe he should've followed his first instinct and smashed Robbie's face in when he heared Robbie didn't care about Danneel's pregnancy. Unfortunately that wouldn't help anybody but he could've at least confronted him. Even Misha did. Jensen can't help but smile when he imagines sweater-boy playing macho and giving Robbie a bit of his mind. 

The thought gets him out of bed and he decides to do something he hasn't done for a while now. Jogging. Most of the time he just gets bored with it and the dancing normally is enough for his stamina but sometimes it's a good idea to just walk or run off the stress. Maybe it would clear his mind enough to come up with an idea how to teach Misha. After all he managed to move astonishingly good the first time they danced. Something just went wrong yesterday and he has to find out what.

There's a slight chance that this day could be good. By the time Jensen is deep in the woods the clear air floods through him and washes away everything that drags him down. He only stops running when he reaches a crossing with two different paths to follow and can't remember where they lead. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths to remember and finally decides to go right because the left path would probably keep him occupied for another hour. Even with his new found passion for running he's not sure if he's up for that but his choice is rendered useless when a familiar voice breaks the silence.

“Jensen?“

He opens his eyes slowly and spots a very interesting version of Misha. He arrived from the path to Jensen's left and represents the personified sunrise, glowing from inside and full of life. His cheeks are a little flushed and his hair sticks out around his head like he's been hit by a hurricane while running. Most astonishing is the fact that he's not exactly drenched with sweat so he either walked the whole way or is more trained than Jensen thought. 

That would be a good thing in retrospect of his dancing lessons but does bad things to Jensen's imagination regarding other possible situations where Misha's stamina and strength could come in handy. And his clothing doesn't help at all. Now Jensen knows that he got lucky yesterday when Misha showed up in a damn sweater and loose pants because his shirt is tight enough that it underlines the muscles Jensen just knows all to well are there and he wears damn shorts which stick to his frame like a second skin and only reach to his knees, leaving well trained calves very open to prying eyes.

Misha walks over to Jensen while tugging his headphones out and smiles at him.

“I didn't take you for a runner.“

Jensen is speechless because the last time he saw Misha the guy was walking past him to the shower with an expression of total defeat on his face. Now he's smiling like freaking sunshine without a care in the world and overwhelming energy in his step. Jensen swallows to find his voice again and shrugs his shoulders.

“I'm not. Not really. But it helps to clear my head sometimes. Were you running all the way from your apartment?“

Misha doesn't just stand still but stretches his legs while he looks back to the path.

“Yes, it's a really nice track to get going in the morning.“

Jensen lets out a little whistle.

“Get going? That's the longest path of the three.“

“Really?“

Misha doesn't seem very impressed and Jensen has a hard time looking at him because for whatever reason he decides to bend over and then stretches up again with closed eyes and a satisfied moan. Jensen stares into the woods and delays his answer with a long nod.

“Yes, really.“

He can basically feel Misha's eyes on him now but refuses to look at him even when he speaks.

“So where are you going from here?“

“I thought I'll walk for a while and have a little sprint in the end.“

“Sounds good. Mind if I join you?“

Jensen suppresses a sigh and just nods.

“Not at all.“

Misha follows Jensen onto the path to their right and they just walk in silence for a while until Jensen feels the guilt from yesterday weighing on him.

“By the way I'm sorry for yesterday.“

“Why?“

“I fucked up, not you. I'm the teacher and I should know how to tell you what to do. It's not your fault if I'm useless.“

From the corner of his eye he can see how Misha shakes his head.

“It's not your fault that I'm such a bad student. I just don't get it. The steps are there. I have them in my head in total clearity but as soon as I move my feet just do it wrong.“

They stay silent for another while and Jensen tries to come up with a solution. He can't get into Misha's head or make his feet move in the right way. All he could do is give him some guidance.

“Did you even dance before? Like at all?“

“I did some Appalachian clogging at school but only because my best friend talked me into it and we tried to get out of the real sports classes. It was fun sometimes but in general not really ...“

He stops talking and looks back over his shoulder because Jensen just stopped dead in his tracks. The second Jensen thinks Misha couldn't get any weirder he comes up with something like this.

“You're kidding, right?“

Misha looks down to his feet like a child that got caught with its hand in the cookie jar.

“Would that help?“

Jensen laughs and catches up to him.

“No, not really. Appalachian clogging. I won't even try to imagine how that looked like.“

They keep on walking and Misha finally lifts his head while a hint of pride laces his voice.

“It is a form of dancing and together with my friend I was really not that bad.“

His words switch on a light in Jensen's had. That's probably the solution.

“You know what? I think I know what your problem is. At least when it comes to dancing.“

“Do tell.“

Jensen smiles and without thinking about it he grabs Misha's hand and drags him along.

“I'll show you.“

He leads Misha to a clearing nearby where some of the staff people sometimes hang out around the campfire as far away from the guests as possible. When they reach the middle of it it's the first time today he dares to really look at Misha and is met with a curious gaze.

“What now?“

“It's maybe not that easy to do without music.“

Without hesitation Misha brings up his earphones and with a smug grin he gives one of the plugs to Jensen.

“Be my guest.“

Jensen rolls his eyes but puts the earplug in and hence the length of the cable they move closer together while Jensen tries to find a song they could dance to.

“I think your problem is that you had to dance alone. Just remember the steps and try to follow my lead.“

“What if I can't?“

Jensen hands Misha his player back and as soon as he put it back in his pocket Jensen positions his hands.

“You can. If not I will make you.“

It wasn't his intention to stare down on Misha when he said that but he's caught in those damn eyes and maybe it would help to get his point across so he doesn't move. On the other hand Misha doesn't give in either and they still fight a silent battle when the first refrain comes along and only then there's a little smile playing at the corner of Misha's lips.

“Promise?“

Is this guy even real? Equal amounts of amusement and frustration fill Jensen's mind and his answer comes close to a growl.

“Yes.“

He expected resistance but instead Misha gets himself in the position Jensen showed him yesterday and looks at him in anticipation of leadership.

“Good. Please tell me what to do.“

The words are bad enough themselves but even worse is the fact that Misha's voice comes close to begging and his height forces him to slightly look up to Jensen. The combination is damn hot and way more sexual than it should be. Especially for Jensen. It's not like he's never done anything with a guy but it's been a while and the fact remains that Misha is one of the rich snobby guests. He'd rather loose certain body parts than get mixed up with one of them.

Without intending to he grabs Misha's hand with more force than needed and his movements are harsh and checked. Their first tries are accordingly awful and Jensen hates himself for it because again it's not Misha's fault but his. After the worst try of all he stops for a moment and signals Misha to restart the song before they get into position again.

“Forget the steps. Get them out of your mind and just move with me.“

Misha nods but keeps looking down and Jensen lifts his chin up till they're eye to eye again.

“Don't look at your feet. Look at me. Focus.“

By now Misha looks like a deer caught in the headlights and Jensen curses himself. He should really get his shit together and tries to start with a reassuring smile. 

“Listen to the music. One, two, three, four.“

At the right time with the music he starts to move and just presses his leg against Misha's to get him to follow. It's a mess at first and even worse than their first tries but then Misha understands what Jensen is trying to do and by the time the song starts again it's way better than before.

They just keep going even when the music changes and at some point Jensen realises he's whispering the numbers of the beat involuntarily because the music doesn't play anymore. He stops moving so sudden that Misha bumps into him and Jensen has a hard time holding him up so they won't end up on the forest floor.

“I'm sorry. How late is it?“

He doesn't wait for an answer but pulls the earplug out and fumbles in his pocket to get his watch.

Misha puts away his headphones and watches him.

“You need to be somewhere?“

Jensen gets a glimps at his watch and sighs.

“I have a dance lesson in 15 minutes.“

While he already curses the whole day again Misha just smiles at him.

“Seems like you're getting your sprint after all. If you're able to keep up.“

He starts running and Jensen follows him but doesn't feel the need to pass him because from his position he gets a really nice view at the scenery.

Jensen wants to say goodbye to Misha once they're at the house but they made it just in time and he can see Mrs. Pressman already coming along the path in their direction.

"Can you do me a favor and stall her? I can't dance like this. I need to shower first."

Misha looks him up and down and nods but with a questioning look.

"What do I say to her?"

Jensen already peels his shirt from his body and shrugs his naked shoulders.

"I don't know. She's one of the really rich chicks so try something sophisticated."

While he climbs out of his pants Misha keeps an eye on Mrs. Pressman and sighs.

"I feel like you have a very wrong picture of me and I still don't know what I'm supposed to say."

Jensen folds his clothes together in a neat package and stares along the path, too.

"Can we discuss this later?"

Misha rolls his eyes.

"I wasn't asking because of me. Don't you think it looks a little suspicious if she comes up here, finds me and I tell here that you're in the shower."

Finally Jensen understands what he's getting at but he's in too much of a hurry to really care. So what if she thinks he had someone over for the night? He might be her favorit but he's not her pet and he still makes his own decisions.

"I could have done much worse."

He can't manage to hide a smile and Misha laughs.

"Should I limp?"

Jensen knocks against his shoulder and finally gets to the door.

"You should rest up a little. I'm done at around 4 and then you're better here to continue the training."

Misha just waves him inside and when the first warm streams of water rain down on Jensen's body he somehow wishes his dance lesson would be with Misha.


	6. education in dancing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Time isn't in my favor somehow. Hope you'll enjoy the next part.

### education in dancing

All in all Misha had a really good day. He managed to stall Mrs. Pressman for quite a while and to stay clear of Robbie and even better - Neil. He had a very snobby brunch with his family which Jensen probably wouldn't approve of and the rest of the day he just wandered around the area to be outside in the sun. He only goes back to his room to change and when he walks over to Jensen to be on time he feels a little like going to a date.

This time he doesn't bother knocking but when he enters the house it's almost too silent. He walks in a few steps and raises his voice a little.

"Jensen?"

Seconds later Danneel appears in one of the doors and puts her finger over her lips.

"He's sleeping."

Misha immediately starts to whisper instead.

"Sorry. He told me to be here."

Danneel leaves the room and closes the door behind her before she directs him to the room on the other side of the hall.

"For your dance practice?"

"Yes and believe me, I really need it."

She nods and smiles.

"Guess I haven't thanked you yet so - thank you."

Misha waves his hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it."

Danneel nods again but studies him like an interesting piece of art.

"You know, I can't think of many people who would agree to learn a dance routine in two weeks just for one performance. Do you do more stuff like that?"

"Actually yes. It's just the first step on my way to world domination."

She laughs and her smile grows even wider this time.

"How about I'll be the teacher for today and we let Jensen sleep?"

"Sounds good to me as long as I don't have to dance with Amun again."

"Amun?" 

For a moment Misha fears she might not find this funny at all but when he tells her what he means she's laughing. Over the next hour Misha learns that he was right with his first impression of her. It's very easy to get along with her when she's not in tears and done with her life and she's a pretty good teacher. 

Nevertheless Misha doesn't improve that much when it comes to the steps so instead she shows him how he can move so it looks good at least. At first he feels stupid when he moves his hand through the air for no real purpose and Danneel encourages him to fling his head this and that way but every order from her is followed by a compliment and it's very hard not to give in.

"Now to the left. Gosh, you have such a lovely smile, you should use it more often."

Of course Misha trips and his smile vanishes together with a little part of his self esteem.

"I don't think that's enough when I'm lying on the floor."

Danneel just keeps moving as if nothing happened.

"When it comes to that you can still make this face."

"What face?"

She nods in his direction and smiles.

"That one with the blue puppy eyes."

Misha sighs dramatically. 

"I talked myself out of a lot of things and I always thought it was because of my solid arguments."

Danneel shakes her head and grins.

"Clearly not. At least I have something pleasant to look at while you're hurting my feet."

Misha moves even more careful and decides to take her bait.

"Is that a flirtation?"

"I doubt it would work on you."

"Why?"

"The whole time we were dancing you haven't looked at my breasts once."

He stops without thinking about it and can feel his own frown.

"Sorry?"

Danneel laughs and tugs at him to get him in motion again.

"No worries. It's just very informative. Either you have the best manners of all people I've ever met or you're more interested in men. I'd put my money on the latter."

"So obvious?"

"Not really based on the way you dress."

Misha rolls his eyes.

"Um, excuse me, I was very well dressed yesterday but Jensen made me change because of lesser concerns like the ability to move. I ended up in a not quite fitting AC/DC shirt."

Danneel raises her eyebrows in disbelief.

"Really? I hope you returned it. He's very protective of this shirt."

A warm feeling dances through his stomach because Jensen could have given him any shirt and he tries to nod it away.

"I left it here."

He turns under Danneel's arm and she smiles when he faces her again.

"Good, you're safe then. So ... who else?"

"Are you totally inappropriately asking me who's gay around here?"

"Maybe."

"You work here whereas I just arrived. Shouldn't you tell me?"

"I don't know how. I can't exactly put my breasts in everybody's face."

"Why not? Would shake things up a little. I suggest you start with Neil."

Danneel's eyes grow wide.

"Neil? Really?"

This time she's the one to break the step and Misha almost trips again.

"He's clinging to me for a reason."

He gets a sympathetic nod and Danneel presses her lips together.

"Guess he's just a richer version of Robbie then."

Misha senses how her mood drops and tries to imitate Neil's stiff dancing style and his snarky voice.

"I'm known as the catch of the county."

A small smile crawls on Danneel's lips and Misha forces her to move again while giving his best possible Neil impression.

"Last week I took a guy away from Jamie, the lifeguard. And he said to him, 'What does he have that I don't have?'. And he said, 'two hotels.'."

Danneel is already alarmingly red in the face so he tops his show off with a little chuckle Neil tends to make after he said something particularly stupid.

They come to a halt because Danneel bursts into laughter and Misha has a hard time even holding on to her. When she's able to breathe again she has to wipe away tears from her eyes and smiles at Misha.

"Next time on stage you should do that."

Misha shakes his head.

"Nothing in the world will get me on that stage again. Believe me."

Danneel inhales deeply to get her breath back and whispers numbers to the beat so they can start dancing again.

"So, Neil has the hots for you. Anyone else I should know about?"

Misha shrugs his shoulders but keeps still when there's a warning in Danneel's eyes because he messes up their posture.

"When we arrived I thought Billy was cute but I'm pretty sure he shoots straight."

Danneel nods.

"I can confirm that. The second he hit puberty he couldn't talk to me without flirtation. It was awful. I mean, he is cute, no question there, but just not my type."

"He said you and Jensen were a couple."

A shadow falls over her face for a second and Misha realizes he's bringing Billy into a hell of a mess so he corrects himself.

"Well, in fact I thought you were a couple and he said that you aren't anymore. That's all."

Danneel lightens up a bit and looks at him curiously.

"Why did you think we're a couple?"

"It just made sense. The way you dance together and how you look at each other. I'm not prude or anything but it seemed more intimate than friendship. Just more like love." 

They move in silence for a while and Misha doesn't anticipate an answer anymore but suddenly Danneel speaks after all.

“I do love him but maybe too much. Or wrong. I don't know. We didn't work out. I was too jealous and he too overprotective. Neither of us could breathe anymore. We didn't complete each other but overlap. Like two people occupying the same space because we're so similar. Does this sound weird?“

Misha can't help but smile because he can feel the love and adoration dripping out of her words.

“Pretty weird. But I think I get it. He's special to you.“

Danneel shakes her head.

“He's special. Period.“

There's another silence and it fills the air until Misha gets the feeling they need a release.

“I guess you're right. Even Max thinks so.“

Danneel laughs and actually stops the dancing to hit him.

“You're an idiot!“

Misha smiles but freezes when a voice cuts through Danneel's laughter.

“That's what I said.“

Danneel turns around and smiles.

“Hey sleepy head. Sorry, did we wake you?“

Jensen sure as hell looks like it. His hair stands out around his head and his face resembles a new born puppy that just fell over and was stuck in a cushion for hours.

“Yes, but I don't mind. I woke up to you laughing.“

With the words he throws an arm around Danneel and smootches her forehead.

“I'm more concerned about him. What are you doing with my student?“

Danneel wrestles herself free from his embrace.

“Teaching him of course. Something you obviously failed at.“

“He's pretty improvement resistant.“

Misha stretches his arms out to get their attention.

“I'm still here, you know.“

Danneel gives Jensen another reproachful look and turns to Misha.

“Come on. Let's show him how it's done.“

She sounds so sure of herself but Misha gets really nervous. It's bad enough to dance with Jensen but having him watch from the distance seems even worse. When she places his hands on her body Jensen walks around them.

“I can take over if you want to.“

Danneel shakes her head.

“Get your own Angel. This one is mine for today.“

She nods to Misha and counts again and fortunately they've done this so often now that his feet just start to move on their own. It's actually their best try and he feels perfectly fine. At least until they move around enough so he faces Jensen.

He doesn't stand next to them anymore but sat down in an armchair in the corner and watches them. This wouldn't have been too bad but Misha can't help but look at his face to decipher what Jensen thinks about his improvement. 

Instead of their feet or bodies Jensen looks at him and their eyes meet. This time Misha doesn't think of meadows or gras. In the half-shadow of the room Jensen's eyes are darker and fleeting like smoke. If it wasn't for Danneel he might have caught fire right in that moment but instead he faces her warm smile.

“Come on, Angel. Let's show off a little bit.“


	7. waking up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think. I could use a little bit of motivation ;)

### waking up

Those damn blue eyes will be the death of him. Maybe it's because he just woke up but if it wasn't for Danneel, Jensen would consider to jump Misha's bones right this second. He can't remember how it came to this but it's like the feeling just built up in him for too long and suddenly comes out. 

He felt nothing like this when he woke up. It was just pleasent to hear Danneel laugh and he followed the sound to find out who or what could get this out of her because he hasn't heard it in a while. And then there was Misha. And suddenly his feelings were all mixed up. Of course he was glad that they had fun and got along but by the time he entered the room he was sure what rumbled in his chest was jealousy. 

Then again he wasn't even sure of whom he was jealous. After all their years together he should be the one to cheer Danneel up and he was supposed to teach Misha to dance. Maybe it wasn't jealousy after all. He just felt left-over somehow and useless.

In a stupid attempt to bring order back to his crashed world he forced Danneel into a hug, claiming her for himself but a moment later she escaped him just to get back to Misha. And without thinking about it he immediately offered to take her place instead. If that doesn't scream stupid. Danneel declines which makes him even more useless and although he feels like a weird chaperon he can't bring himself to leave and sits down in an armchair in the corner. He could always argue that he just wants to see Misha's progress and the truth is, he kind of does. 

When he's really honest with himself, it's just so pleasant to be around Misha. He's easy to talk to and quick with a smile even when the joke is on him. And when Jensen is a total shithead Misha doesn't call him on it but apologizes instead. Jensen never met someone who was so willing to make peace, no matter the circumstances. Especially not with him. People rather tend to leave him. Misha is still here. And for some reason he can't keep himself from watching him.

At first he actually studies the movement of his feet and is pleased to see that Misha improved a bit. Even better are Misha's clothes. He followed his advice to change into something more practical and instead of rigid jeans he wears slacks tight enough so they won't get tangled up. The downside is that they come close to those damn running shorts and Jensen's eyes skip over Misha's body in an attempt to focus on the important stuff.

A good idea which takes a turn for the worse when Misha turns Danneel around and faces Jensen over her shoulder. At first it doesn't bother Jensen because it's just the pensive look Misha gets when he's concentrating on something but then his expression chances. It's just a little shift but every bit of ease, facetiousness and warmth is gone just to be replaced with a raw intensity that makes it unable for Jensen to look away. The seconds suddenly go on for hours and while electricity prickles all over his skin he accepts the fate of drowning in an eternity of blue.

And that's pretty much the moment he wants to get up and get it on with Misha. Fortunately Danneel moves him along with her and Jensen feels like he can actually hear their eye contact brake. It releases him of an emotional chokehold and he takes one long low breath when Danneel talks to Misha.

“Come on, Angel. Let's show off a little bit.“

And, god dammit, they do. Typical for Danneel she didn't just show Misha the steps but how to make them look good and if Danneel tells you how to move, you move. Jensen can't help but shift around on his chair, unable to decide where to keep his eyes. Misha's face is out of the question. Right now he couldn't survice another look like before. The thing is that further down isn't any better. 

Advices by Danneel Misha turns his head to the side with their movements and exposes a long neck practically begging to get bitten. Preferable down along the collar of his shirt and the open buttons which lead the way into a paradise of muscle and skin Jensen tries very hard not to remember. Not an easy task considering how tight the shirt hugs Misha's body. 

Jensen swallows down a chuckle because who's idea was it for Misha to change his clothes? Again it was Jensen's mistake and he wonders when he will finally stop to make those. Probably when he finds out why he suddenly has the hots for a stranger and to make matters worse, a guy. He's pretty cool with other people going about their sexuality as they please but he was convinced his encounters with guys have been a phase in his late teenage years.

“Jensen? You're okay?“

He's torn from his thoughts and looks up into Danneels worried face.

“Yes, just thinking about something. What's up?“

“I thought we could show Misha the whole routine. You know, putting the fear of god into him?“

Jensen laughs and gets up. Dancing. That's exactly what he needs. And rather with Danneel than Misha. Who knows how that would turn out right now. It's bad enough he has to do it again pretty soon.

“Sure. Let's scare our only hope away.“

Danneel resets the music and instead of taking Jensen's place on the chair Misha moves to the other side of the room and makes himself comfortable on the couch. Jensen dares to glance at him but turns back to concentrating on Danneel pretty quickly because the image of Misha on top of some comfy underground isn't very good for his thought process.

He's even a little off his game at the beginning but Danneel's movements and the music capture him in seconds and every step takes him closer to freedom and peace of mind. He only remembers Misha's presence when the music stops and Danneel looks over to the couch to get a horrified statement. Instead they get nothing.

“Is he asleep?“

Danneel raises her eyebrows and her lips twitch in amusement and Jensen can't help but smile.

“Guess we're boring.“

She sighs and attempts to walk over to Misha.

“I'll wake him.“

Without thinking about it Jensen holds her back.

“No. Let him sleep.“

Danneel turns back and studies him.

“Why?“

“You know how I get when you wake me from a nap.“

She chuckles and nods.

“Fine. But I doubt it's very comfortable.“

“I'll take care of that.“

The words are out and Jensen can't even begin to think about all the ideas he shakes loose in Danneel's head but she just stands up on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.

“Sleeping sounds like a damn good idea. Good night!“

“Sleep tight!“

He taps her head and gets a last smile before she sneaks out of the room and he's left behind with his latest problem. He allows himself a very well deserved sigh before getting a blanket for Misha and when he spreads it over him he can't help but think that Misha is his cutest problem by far. Which also makes him the worst one. God help him.

 

Again Jensen didn't sleep very well and wakes up much earlier than usual. He's not sure if it's due to the little nap he had the day before or the weird dream he just escaped from. In it he danced with Misha but fitting to his nickname he had wings that got in the way at every turn and scattered feathers everywhere. But at least he managed the steps. Maybe that's a good omen.

Unable to sleep anymore Jensen gets up and decides to have breakfast at the bungalow and not his own little cabin. He felt bad enough for leaving Misha there but aside from the couch there's no other place where he could have slept. When he enters their practice room the view hasn't changed at all. Misha is still sleeping on the couch and cocooned himself with the blanket so only a little tuft of hair is visible. Jensen walks over to him to make sure he doesn't suffocate. Five long and relaxed breaths later he leaves Misha alone again and barricades himself in the kitchen.

Normally he doesn't have much time for breakfast and surely not for something warm but today he can have whatever he wants and he intends to make good use of his time. That he ends up with scrambled eggs, bacon, french toast and pancakes is owed by his diversified taste in breakfast food and has nothing to do with another person who might be hungry.

He's totally occupied with getting the perfect amount of dough in the pan for his next pancake when the door opens behind him.

"Morning."

Even the one word is delivered like the aftermath of a fierce battle and when Jensen turns around he knows why. Misha toddles in his general direction but Jensen wouldn't call him awake. He's fighting sleep by rubbing his eyes and running his fingers through his hair. When he arrives at the kitchen counter he yawns but even his mouth is too lazy to fully open so he gives a fabulous impression of a pretty confused kitten. Jensen buries the word "adorable" somewhere deep in his subconscious and forces himself to answer instead.

"Good morning."

Misha folds his hands behind his back and stretches before hunching over the counter again and now he even rests his head on his hands.

"I'm so sorry I fell asleep yesterday. I can run a marathon any day but this whole dancing thing took a lot out of me."

"That's why we let you sleep. I hope it was comfortable enough."

"Yes, it ..." Jensen watches with fascination how Misha suddenly unbends like his system finally started and he smiles. "Thanks for the blanket."

"You're welcome. It hugged you very tightly in the end."

Jensen was only thinking about the sleeping Misha picture he aquired this morning but Misha takes it upon himself to add the subtext.

"I don't mind being the little spoon. You?"

Now Jensen is the one with the system failure but before he can reboot Misha wrinkles his nose.

"Is it supposed to smell like that?"

Jensen looks down at the pan in sheer horror. The pancake is a dark brown on the upside which only implies bad things for the underside.

"No. Nonono."

He lifts the pan over to the sink and slides the half-hard pancake over the edge until it lands with a faint thump and sizzles in a small puddle of water at the bottom. When he returns the pan to the oven with a sigh, Misha shrunk in size again.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to distract you from cooking."

"You didn't. You don't. I mean it's fine."

Jensen bites his own tongue to stop rambling and spreads his arms out.

"You want some? I overdid it a little bit anyway."

"It would be my pleasure. Maybe I can help?"

Of course Misha can't just accept and be done with it. Something must have gone terribly wrong in his upbringing because he's as far away from a mean snob as he can be.

"You're good with pancakes?"

"Better than dancing."

Jensen laughs and steps aside to give Misha free reign over the oven.

"I really don't want to be mean but that's not a very good argument."

"You'll see."

Misha just smiles at him when he takes over the pan and Jensen doesn't know what else to say. He's not used to this. Of course he has all the dance people around but they don't strike up a conversation and if they do something together, it's dancing. They don't cook together or go for a run. And they don't look at him like he's the most interesting person in the universe.

Jensen just can't figure out how Misha does it. He seems to be in constant awe like a child and whenever bad things happen, he just takes something positive out of it and forgets about the rest. That's pretty amazing on it's own regarding the shitty world they live in but even more so when it comes to Jensen. Misha doesn't judge him because of his career choice or living conditions. He just keeps fucking smiling at him while no one else is around. It's not polite or calculating but honest. By now Jensen has this piggy bank of good will inside of him and every interaction with Misha adds to it. So what if it bursts?

"Not bad, hu?"

Misha finished his first pancake and waits for confirmation of his skills but Jensen has a hard time figuring out what he's looking at.

"What is that?"

"I'm fairly certain it's a pancake."

Jensen rolls his eyes and takes another look.

"I'm talking about the shape."

Misha puts the pancake on the plate next to Jensen's pile and shrugs.

"It's a monkey."

Without pause he takes the dough again and starts to form something else in the pan.

"And what are you doing now?"

"I'm trying a mouse. I don't think I can manage a squirrel."

Jensen tries very hard not to laugh because Misha sounds so serious like his life depends on it.

"Why are you shaping your pancakes like animals?"

While the dough sizzles in the pan, Misha lifts one of Jensen's pancakes and studies it closly.

"Why are you shaping yours like perfect circles?"

"I don't know. It's the normal way. And they're not perfect."

Misha turns it around a few times to demonstrate how even the whole pancake is.

"That shouldn't be physically possible. Maybe you should have become a surgent."

Jensen snorts. 

“I don't think I fit the bill.“

Misha puts the pancake back and nods while he tries to add more shape to his own one in the pan.

“You're right. You're good with your hands and your feet. Would have been a waste.“

So the son of a doctor just told Jensen that him being a dancer is preferable to becoming a surgent. What could he possibly say to that?

“You want some coffee?“

Maybe not his best reply but it's something.

“Actually I prefer tea.“

Jensen turns around and hides his smile behind the door of the kitchen cabinet while searching for tea and can't help whispering the words instead of just thinking them.

“Of course you do.“


	8. two kinds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm running a little low on already written text so it may take a little longer to update but I try my best. Just fear this story might get a liiittle longer than planned ;)

### two kinds

Misha isn't sure if he understood the words right but he definitely hears the smile in Jensen's voice and is glad they ended up like this. After yesterday he thought there might be tension, especially because he fell asleep but Jensen doesn't seem to care at all. He's in a surprisingly good mood and even starts to hum while boiling water for Misha's tea.

It's really uplifting to see him this way and Misha almost burns his pancake because he can't stop staring. He manages to get it out when Jensen places a steaming cup next to him and Jensen studies his concoction while taking sips from his cup of coffee.

"Not to bash you or anything but that doesn't look very much like a mouse."

"Everyone's a critic." Jensen laughs and lifts his hands up in defence. Misha shrugs in response. "Okay, I confess. I make animals because I can't do a circle."

"You're kidding."

"No. I tried but it's just not working."

He gets another laugh out of Jensen.

"It's physics. You place the dough in the middle and it spreads out like a circle."

"Never worked for me."

Jensen rolls his eyes and his face becomes the image of annoyed. They should use his picture in a dictionary. The good thing is, Jensen is one of those guys who don't accept defeat. He puts his coffee down and takes possition next to Misha.

"Give me the dough. I'll show you."

Misha forces himself to actually look at Jensen's hands and not somewhere else and the miracle happens right before his eyes. A perfect circle. Again.

"That's fucking amazing."

Jensen shakes his head and points at the pan like that could explain everything.

"I'm not even doing anything. It just happens."

"Nah, not convinced."

While finishing the pancake Jensen constantly shakes his head and when the pan is ready again he shoves Misha in front of it and hands him the bowl with the dough.

"Try it."

Of course Misha could. He just never cared very much for the shape of his pancakes so he decides to work on something he cares about. At first everything looks fine but he manages to sabotage the flow of the dough enough to get it out of shape.

"See?"

Jensen's reaction is exactly the one Misha was going for. He bends over and laughs.

"I hope you know that you're totally crazy."

Misha smiles and moves the pan around to form at least something.

"The good kind of crazy, right?"

He doesn't get an answer at first because Jensen closed his eyes and he keeps shaking his head but then he smiles.

"Yes, the good kind."

The rest of their breakfast goes by much more quietly until Misha pleads with Jensen not to stuff him with any more food. He also refuses another offer for coffee although Jensen hints that he might need it in order to keep awake. Misha ignores the allusion and tries to sort out what he should do today. He doesn't get very far though because Jensen has an offer for that, too.

"I have a lot of dancing lessons in the afternoon so we probably should start right away."

Misha finishes his tea and gets up.

"Okay, let me help you with the dishes and then I'll go change."

Jensen gets to his feet but watches him with a questioning look.

"Change?"

While picking up his plate from the table with one hand Misha gestures down his body.

"First I danced the whole afternoon and then I slept in those clothes. I wouldn't call myself squeaky clean."

He puts his plate in the sink and starts the water when Jensen suddenly leans against the kitchen counter next to him and crosses his arms.

"Afraid of getting dirty?"

It's the one time Misha really wants to hit him. Jensen might have his problems and maybe a bad past but that doesn't give him the right to constantly mock him. For a second he really wants to just tell him that. Explain to him that Misha is not his enemy and they could get along much better if he just let go of his prejudices. But where's the fun in that?

"Believe me. You don't even want to know how dirty I can get."

He gives Jensen a challenging look and gets an evil stare in return. The seconds tick by until Misha just turns away to get the remaining dishes. He always thought that the whole who-looks-away-first-game didn't say anything. Walking away is much more effective. He's proven right when Jensen catches up to him.

"Hey, I'm just trying to safe time here." Misha doesn't answer but walks back to the sink and Jensen follows him again. "Besides I'm going to make you sweat anyway."

It's the first time Misha looks at him again and Jensen raises his eyebrows suggestively. Misha just shakes his head.

"I'm not going to dance in that shirt again."

Jensen spreads his arms and keeps smiling.

"I'll get you another one."

"You can't give me a different shirt every time we dance together."

Jensen's smile turns into a broad grin.

"I won't. Give me a second."

He almost flies out of the room and Misha takes a deep breath. After their heated look yesterday it's much harder to deal with Jensen. He just can't get behind the guy. One second he's angry at him, then he smiles like an idiot and in the next second he even flirts with him. But why? Is he just that kind of person or is it possible that Jensen could be interested in him?

He never had such a hard time figuring someone out and everything he got from Billy and Danneel confuses him more. And then Jensen comes back, still smiling and he hands him a familiar shirt. Now Misha rolls his eyes but Jensen looks very pleased with himself.

"Don't give me that look. I washed it yesterday so it's squeaky clean and it's not a different shirt."

Misha doesn't want to give in and points at the sink.

"Can I finish here first?"

Jensen takes his hand and drags him along.

"No. We have some serious dancing to do. That's much more important."

Misha really wants to object but he's too busy smiling because Jensen gave him one of his favorit shirts. Again. And he took his hand for no obvious reason. Again. And in just a minute he would have his hands on him. Again. Well, sometimes one has to indulge.

It only takes three hours until Misha thinks very differently. Right now he wishes himself back to the dishes. He'd even like to rather get fake-sawed in half again than endure any more of the torture Jensen calls dancing.

“Two, three , four. Two, three, four. Don't lean back. Lifting up. Two, three, four. Shoulders down.“

It sure could be nice to get touched by Jensen but he only forces him in the right position once in a while and not very gently. He also critizes Misha's every move and he's sure he will hear Jensen's voice in his dreams tonight.

“Again. Concentrate. And don't put your heel down.“

Misha moves and suddenly Jensen's voice becomes more of a growl.

“Don't put your heel down!“

Misha's voice gets a defensive high pitch instead and he hates himself for it.

“I didn't ...“

Jensen shakes his head before he can finish the sentence.

“Stay on the toe. Just listen to me.“

Listen to me. Look at me. This may sound easy to Jensen but Misha just can't handle it and it's Jensen's fault. If one ever has to look up "mixed signals" in a dictionary there will definitely be a picture of Jensen. Misha is convinced they lightened the mood over breakfast but as soon as they start dancing Jensen's every move is harsh and well-conceived and he doesn't say anything unless he has to order Misha around.

On the other hand his eyes are happy and encouraging and even when Misha royally fucks up Jensen's hands linger just that little second too long before he walkes over to the stereo again and again to restart the music. And even after three hours he comes up with something new to make it easier for Misha.

“The steps aren't enough. Feel the music.“

Misha suppresses a sigh. He already feels too much but it has nothing to do with the music and being in close proximity of Jensen for a longer period of time totally messes with his brain. Whenever he looks at him Misha sees an endless forrest behind those eyes. A maze he wants to run into and never come out again.

“Remember. It's not on the one. But don't try so hard. It's a feeling, a heartbeat.“

Misha has no fucking idea what he's talking about and the thought must show on his face because Jensen rolls his eyes and takes his hand. At first Misha wants to get in position to start the dance but Jensen places Misha's hand on his chest.

“Close your eyes and listen. Two, three, four. Two, three, four.“

Misha has a hard time concentrating on Jensen's heartbeat because Jensen's hand is still on top of his own and he's trapped between his warmth.

„Breathe.“

He didn't even notice he held his breath but now he sucks the air in like he was about to drown and hopes that Jensen would assume that's the reason why he gets so damn red in the face.

“Head up. Lock your frame. Lock it.“

Misha pretends to try but his heart isn't really into it anymore. He can run a damn marathon any time but this dancing thing demands everything from his body and mind. Right now he just feels utterly exhausted but Jensen doesn't care and huffs in frustration.

“Look, spaghetti arm. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don't go into yours. You don't go into mine. You gotta hold the frame.“

Jensen starts the music again and instead of just taking his hands he forces Misha in an upright position. Misha has a hard time not to salute like a soldier and he bites his lips or he would start a detailed discussion about Jensen's dire need to manhandle him all the time.

But at least he finally gets the whole heart-beat-thing. He can hear it in the music and with that connection it's much easier to follow along. They manage a few pretty good tries before Jensen announces the end because he has to get ready for his other dance lessons. This time Misha doesn't hide his feelings but lets out a long relieved sigh. Jensen raises his eyebrows at him with a cocky grin.

"Out of juice already? I thought you were a runner. Shouldn't you have more stamina?"

Every word from Jensen is more exhausting than the dancing because Misha just doesn't know what to make of it. Maybe he flirts with the guests for better tips but it's not like he has to dazzle him. On the other hand no one asks Misha to handle Jensen with kid gloves. Why not tease him a little bit?

"I'm not sure why you're so interested in my juices and I do have a lot of stamina. Your way of teaching is just very grueling."

Jensen stills for a moment but nods.

"It's just so much easier when I don't have to teach inept bummers."

Misha could take it as an insult but Jensen is right and his badly hidden smirk takes the seriousness away. An apt retort is still in order.

"Takes a real saint to teach someone who's already good at dancing."

The only response he gets is a smile and while Misha enjoys their little debate, Jensen tries to propitiate him.

"How about we work together instead of against each other?"

"Wasn't that the idea all along?"

Misha bites his lip because that comment is exactly what Jensen just proposed to avoid but Jensen just laughs.

"Fine. I'm an ass. Again. Happy?"

Anyting that involves Jensen and his ass is not a good thought process for Misha so he stays clear of the topic.

"I'm willing to proceed in peace."

Jensen answers with a pleased smile and Misha remembers that he should make room for Jensen's next dancing lesson. Without thinking he grabs the hem of his shirt to get out of it but suddenly Jensen's hand is on his again.

"What are you doing?"

Misha looks around to find his own shirt and can't help his sassy tone.

"Uh, change? Where's my shirt?"

Jensen searches the room with his eyes but doesn't let go of Misha's hand and when his gaze returns to Misha he just shrugs.

"Why don't you just keep that one?"

He finally takes his hand away and Misha focuses on the burning sensation on his skin so he won't get lost in the green abyss again and has a hard time getting the words out.

"Okay. I'll get it back to you when I washed it."

Jensen just stares at him as if he can't follow his train of thought and shakes his head.

"I didn't mean borrowing it. I meant, like, really keeping it."

Misha doesn't know what to say. It's one thing when Jensen lends him the shirt but giving it to him is entirely different and he can't help but smile like a total idiot which obviously freaks Jensen out. He rubs his neck without looking at Misha and moves his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"It seems you end up it in anyway, so ..."

He trails off with a forced laugh and Misha finally gets his voice back even if it's hard to talk when a flock of butterflies parties in his stomache and he keeps grinning like there's no tomorrow.

"Seems like it. I'll take it as a peace offering."

"Sure."

Jensen seems grateful for the rational explanation for his gift and Misha decides to let him off the hook.

"Tell me if you find my shirt. Sadly I'm not in a position to give them away."

With a grunt Jensen rolls his eyes.

"Let me guess. Too expensive?"

"No. But it was a present from my mother and she'd skin me alive if I lose it."

The answer wasn't meant to make Jensen feel bad but there's regret on his face anyway.

"I'll look for it and maybe I can give it back to you this evening."

"This evening?"

Jensen taps his own forehead.

“Of course. You can't know that, I guess I just counted you in with the dance people. There's a little get together again like the one Billy brought you to.”

Suddenly Misha feels like the nerd in high school who just got invited to a secret party by the popular kid. His answer comes out accordingly.

“Oh.”

In a millisecond Jensen's easy attitude shifts to uncertainty.

“I mean, if you want to. Unless you like to hang out with someone else. Like Neil.”

There's a little question in the last words and Misha makes a face which would go along perfectly with him stepping into a huge pile of shit.

“No thanks. I'd prefer to stay as far away from Neil as possible.”

“Yeah? Why?”

Misha isn't sure if Jensen expects some kind of story but it's not like he has a big history with Neil so he just states the obvious.

“Because Neil is a severe pain in my ass. And not the good kind.”

The second part just slipped out unwanted and for the first time Jensen looks taken aback. Maybe that's the reason why his next words aren't well-conceived either.

“So you gonna come?”

They both stare at their feet for a moment and Misha has a hard time keeping a laugh in while answering.

“Maybe. Any suggestion what I should wear?”

Jensen is less successful and chuckles. When he looks up at Misha there's amusement glistening in his eyes.

“Another sweater? Or maybe you have some nice plaid.”

There's an idea forming in Misha's head and he nods.

“I'll think of something.”

“Which means you'll be there?”

Misha knows he'll hate himself for the words but sometimes his filter just doesn't work.

“Sure. It's a date.”

He doesn't wait for a reaction and just walks out before Jensen can kill him. This way he can at least see his family once more until it happens this evening.

 

On the way up the stairs to their apartment Misha meets one of them. His father. He stops and looks him up and down.

“You've been running again?”

In circles maybe. Especially in his head.

“Yes, there are few nice tracks through the woods.”

Jake nods but knits his brows.

“I thought you would relax a little bit. After all we're here on vacation.”

“Dad, I keep telling you that running is relaxing. You should really give it a try.”

His father shakes his head and smiles.

“And I keep telling you I'm perfectly fine with walking. Maybe you could take Neil?”

There's a sting in Misha's chest while he tries not to laugh at the same time. Jake just picked a really bad moment to mention Neil and it's not easy to come up with a lie while you're thinking about your own ass.

“I don't know. He's working so much, you know. Really helps out his Dad.”

“He sure does. But I ran into him yesterday and he said he didn't see much of you.”

“Yeah, I don't want to bother him and there's so much to do here. I tried a lot of different things.”

Misha hates lying to his father but apparently he's pretty good at it because Jake nods.

“Angel, sometimes one can be a little too thoughtful. Don't think you're bothering anyone. I'm sure Neil would want to spend time with you.”

And that's the problem. Misha doesn't want to think about what exactly Neil wants to do with him. Or worse, to him. 

“I'm sure we run into each other.”

Jake smiles and taps him on the shoulder.

“Good. I have to catch up to your mother now. She insists she's a better putter than me.”

“Sounds good. Have fun!”

Misha takes the next few steps in two jumps but his father's voice catches up to him.

“Angel?” He turns around and hopes he doesn't look as impatient as he feels. “I don't think I've ever seen this shirt on you.”

“Oh, it was a present.”

It feels good to actually tell the truth but sadly Jake isn't satisfied.

“That's nice. Who gave it to you?”

Misha looks down to avoid his fathers gaze and come up with a good explanation.

“It's from Vicky. She gave it to me right before we left so it's actually the first time I'm wearing it.”

“It just looks a little used to me.”

There's something in Jake's voice that alarms Misha but he's not sure if his father senses his lie or just disapproves of the piece of clothing. He tries to put as much innocence as possible into his answer.

“I don't know. It's some sort of used look. Seems it's supposed to look like that.”

He dares to glance at Jake again to make sure he's buying it and his father nods.

“Fashion, hu?”

Misha just shrugs his shoulders and Jake shakes his head and laughs.

“Yeah, I don't get it either. Have fun today.”

“You too!”

He waits at the steps and waves so he wouldn't seem to eager but the second his father is gone he rushes into his room to check his suitcase. After all he has to find something nice to wear this evening.


	9. well plaid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry this took me so long. Real life is hard on me ... There might be a whole lot of mistakes, but I just wanted to finally update it. Be warned.

Jensen is pretty sure Misha just made a silly joke when he called their get together a date and he only spend an hour with picking a shirt because he enjoys wearing his casual clothes opposed to the usual attire he needs for dancing. The fact that he can't wait at the bungalow but hangs around that white little bridge has nothing to do with Misha either. Jensen is just bored.

And it's not like he misses Misha. He's more fun than the old hags and geezers Jensen has to dance with all day. That's all. On the other hand he's much more annoying and quite a piece of work. Jensen catches himself smiling when he thinks back to today's lesson and deliberately stares into the water under the bridge to take his thoughts elsewhere. In his mind he's on a boat and very invested in fishing when someone joins him on the bridge.

"I know I'm an awful dancer but that's no reason to throw your life away."

Jensen doesn't look at Misha but shakes his head. "If one awful dancer was enough to make me jump, I would have done it on my first day."

Misha rests his arms on the railing next to him and looks down into the water, too. "What were you thinking about? There was so much longing in your eyes."

Jensen isn't sure how Misha could make out any feeling in his eyes from where he stands but he's right anyway. The problem is that Jensen isn't used to questions like this. Who cares, right? "Fishing."

"With your bare hands?"

To anybody else Misha might have sounded serious but slowly Jensen's ears start to pick up on subtle changes in his voice whenever Misha teases him. Still Jensen can't help but laugh. "Sure. I want to go down there and just throw myself into the river."

"You might want to lose the shirt first. It looks way too good to get all wet."

It takes all of Jensen's self-control not to smile like a love-struck idiot and he tries to convince himself that he doesn't care at all if Misha picked up on his choice of clothes. "I just grabbed the first thing."

He turns to the side as if to prove to himself that he could totally look at Misha without getting all flustered but then his heart skips a beat when he actually lays eyes on him. He's wearing a blue and black plaid shirt and without thinking about it Jensen lifts his hand and tucks at it. "You're kidding me."

Misha just smiles. "Your idea."

"It was a joke!"

Misha pushes himself away from the railing to put his hands on his hips and eyes Jensen suspiciously. "Are you trying to say that I don't look good?"

This time Jensen isn't sure if he's joking or not and rather takes the safe road. "Oh no. It suits you. Brings out your eyes."

They stare at each other for a few seconds until they both start to laugh and Jensen hides his face in his hands. "That was pretty bad, hu?"

Misha leans against the railing again and nods. "Yeah, can't say I had worse."

Jensen stares into the water again and although this is probably the weirdest situation he's ever found himself in he realizes he feels content. Maybe that's the reason why he can't keep his mouth shut. "It's still true, you know?"

Would Misha think less of him if Jensen bit his own tongue off? Because that's the only thing he'd like to do right now. Fortunately for him Misha just smiles and moves his hand along his face like he has to throw his hair back. "I get that a lot."

This time Misha's voice is very telling. He tries to sound amused but it's more bashful and from the corner of his eyes Jensen can see his slightly blushed cheeks. At least this gives him the feeling to be in the advantage again and he decides to get out of this situation that just screams for embarrassment.

"Come on, Angel. We're here for a party after all." Spurred on by his own enthusiasm he grabs Misha's hand and spins him under his arm while Misha rolls his eyes. "You're very annoying when it comes to dancing."

Jensen gives him his best smile. "Then either you let me annoy you or you have to find yourself another date."

It's one more of those things he probably shouldn't have said but Misha just walks into the direction of the stairs and mutters more to himself than talking to Jensen. "Fine. Annoying it is."

Jensen has no choice but to follow him and realizes why. Their fingers are still entwined. For a moment Jensen considers to let go but Misha doesn't seem to mind and it would be stupid to force them apart when they would end up dancing in a few minutes anyway. Instead Jensen just catches up to Misha and is rewarded with a scrutinizing look. "So, fishing. Tell me more."

Normally Jensen would just shrug such a question away but Misha is the first person to sound genuinely interested and he decides to give it a try. By the time they reach the bungalow he's deep in a very detailed description of his dream boat and five songs later he's still talking because Misha always comes up with another question while they have a beer at the bar. Jensen only stops when he's short of asking Misha to come on a trip with him one day. What a stupid thought. As if they'd even speak after they managed to do the gig at the Sheldrake.

And that brings Jensen back to the task at hand. He promised Misha they wouldn't work on their normal routine but that doesn't mean they can't dance. Every minute he can get Misha to move and get a feeling for the music is well spent so he just grabs his hand again and pulls him to the dance floor.

"Enough talk about fishing. We're here for the dancing."

Misha moves along but pouts. "But you wanted to tell me about the different baits."

Jensen doesn't anwer but makes sure Misha really dances with him first. Their posture is similar to their routine and to Jensen's surprise Misha gets into it pretty fast. "There's not much to tell. The bait has to look flashy and and cause enough sensations that something bites."

The way Misha processes this information in his brain is visible on his face and when his lips twitch a little Jensen already knows shenanigans is on the way. "So I'm bait?"

"You could be." 

"But for what?"

Jensen looks around the room while lifting his eyebrows suggestively. "Pretty girls maybe?"

There's a little hesitation before Misha answers and Jensen is afraid he said something wrong. "I think that would be a waste."

"Why?"

It's a pretty blunt question but so far Misha seemed very open and he could still refuse to answer. For a moment Jensen thinks he does because he shakes his head slighty. "Wrong crowd."

It takes Jensen a little time to decipher the meaning and it might have taken him even longer if Misha hadn't accentuated his words with a total shift in his behavior. He doesn't look at Jensen and both of his hands almost let go of him as if he shouldn't touch him at all.

Jensen isn't sure if he should be offended. He's sure he never showed any form of dislike against any sexual orientation. However Misha could be just overly careful. Who knows how other people react. He wants to give him a sign that he's totally okay with whatever Misha prefers but they're interrupted by Billy. This guy really has a problem when it comes to the right timing.

"Hey boys, take your pick."

He shoves a hat between them that's filled with little pieces of paper. Like Jensen Misha grabs one but examines it warily. "What is that?"

Billy already moves along again so Jensen answers while unfolding his paper. "It's a game they sometimes play. Later they call a random number and you have to get up on the stage and do something. Most of the time it has something to do with dancing or it's a stupid quiz. See?"

He holds up his paper to show Misha his number and reluctantly Misha opens his own. "I should have asked before taking one. I'm not sure I want to end up on another stage."

Jensen puts the piece of paper in the pocket of his jeans and shrugs. "Don't worry. It's really fun and what are the odds of you getting picked the first time you take part?"

Misha nods and seems a little relieved while tucking his paper away as well but he still keeps his distance and Jensen remembers their conversation before Billy interrupted them. "Let's get back to the important thing of the evening."

He lifts up his hands but instead of taking them Misha points at the bar. "Maybe we could have another drink?"

Jensen gives him a scrutinizing look. "Are you thirsty?"

"No. But ..."

He has no chance to finish the sentence because Jensen doesn't care for this bullshit. They are supposed to dance in front of a critical audience which means they can't afford any hesitation or discomfort, especially when it comes to touching each other. "Good. Because this song is too good to skip it."

Before Misha can object Jensen just grabs his hips and pulls him towards himself. At first they're just very close but when he starts dancing and Misha doesn't he unintentionally closes the gab and is pressed against the stiffest dance partner he's ever had.

"Come on, Angel. Don't stand there like a stuffed dummy. Move!"

Misha does but he's still not very into it so Jensen deliberately grinds against him and his hands move just a little further down than they probably should. Although harassing the poor guy isn't the best way to get his point across Jensen sticks to it. He has always been better with talking through his body language than words and finally Misha moves with him while watching the crowd. Too bad that Jensen prefers his undivided attention. "I have to tell you a secret."

At last Misha looks at him and suddenly Jensen is so caught up in his eyes that he has to get through a whole ocean of thoughts before he arrives at the words he actually wanted to say. "You may have heard differently but actually you can't get pregnant from this."

It's not even a joke but maybe the dummest line Jensen has ever used on anybody. Still it works. Misha laughs and Jensen can't help but stare at him because from one moment to the other his frown is gone and he's one happy mess of little wrinkles, blinding teeth and giggling sounds while his muscles relax under Jensen's hands.

It wasn't even Jensen's intention but it seems he unlocked some secret level in the Misha-game. He gets punched against the shoulder while Misha presses his lips together to stop laughing. "You really are an ass."

Misha follows up on this declaration by throwing his arms around Jensen's neck and starts moving so unexpectedly that he's the one crashing into Jensen this time and his sudden energy infects his dance partner. Jensen's buries his hands in Misha's sides and he just lifts him off the ground. “I might be an ass, but at least I can move.”

He swirls around like Misha weighs nothing and is rewarded with a squeak that quickly turns into more laughter and Jensen has to put Misha down because he fidgets too much. For a moment they just stand there, catching their breaths and looking at each other until Jensen is drowning again and tries to get a grip by concentrating on the music. When he moves they're in synch in seconds and finally just dance.

They manage three more songs before Misha gives up completely and escapes to the bar and Jensen switches partners with every song just to enjoy the music and do what he loves without the need to impress somebody with it. He's a little out of breath but absolutely happy when the music stops and a guy named Carl enters the stage. 

Jensen knows that the stupid game is going to start now and tries to make his way to Misha when Carl calls out the first number. Jensen stops dead in his tracks because the number sounds familiar but when he checks the piece of paper in his pocket, it's not his. The reason why he knows the number dawns on him and seconds later Misha enters the stage and Jensen remembers the look on his face when he learned about the game.

His expression now is even worse. He's smiling but it's so forced it hurts Jensen to even look at it. Carl on the other hand doesn't seem to care. He places Misha on a chair on the stage and rambles on about the game while Jensen moves through the people to get as close as possible. He should've told Misha to just keep quiet. Sometimes people pick a number but leave before the game. Carl would have picked someone else then. 

Jensen knows that because he did it often enough. Even with all his experience on stage, there are days he just doesn't want to be up there. But at least he could offer some reassurance if he manages to get close enough so Misha would notice him. Sadly for him Misha concentrates on Carl who explains the rules to some stupid quiz and Jensen only listens to him when some specific words reach his ears. “... alone which means we need a partner for our newcomer. Any volunteers?”

Jensen knows he's going to hate himself for it but his feet move on their own and by the time he sets foot on the stage the crowd already cheers and Carl's jaw drops. It's been a while since Jensen participated in one of the games and he's never done it voluntarily before. Carl ushers him to a chair next to Misha and announces him like royalty. Jensen doesn't really listen to him and already regrets his decision. At least until he looks over to Misha. 

He's still smiling but this time, it's real. It's happy and thankful. And it's for Jensen. And it might have been a problem until it turns into a grin. “I guess I understand bait now. What's next?”

That little shit. He wants to tell him that much but doesn't have a chance to answer because Carl starts the game and a few minutes later Jensen is enjoying himself too much to remember. 

Carl called out another number to form a second team and starts with Misha and Jensen to answer questions. They have to set a score that the other team has to beat and normally the score isn't that high but Jensen and Misha complement each other perfectly. Whenever they're not sure it only takes a few whispered words or little gestures to come to a conclusion and at some point Carl reassures the crowd that there's nothing wrong with the game and he's still totally impartial.

They could have celebrated a perfect victory but sadly the game isn't over with the quiz. After all they're here for dancing and that's exactly what Carl asks them to do. Fortunately for them the other team starts but Jensen can feel Misha's unease like an illness that starts to infect him. It's one thing to practice in a closed room or dance in the middle of a crowd when no one really cares but Misha is obviously not ready for the stage and the only real dance they practiced is their routine for the Sheldrake. 

There's basically just one thing they could do. Nothing. Even with the points their opponents get for the dance, Misha and Jensen could still have the lead. And it doesn't really matter if they win anyway. At least that's what Jensen tells himself. The truth is that he kind of hates losing. And he doesn't want to imagine what the others might think when he refuses to dance, especially after he volunteered for this.

Unfortunately that means he has to throw Misha in at the deep end which feels like drowning a puppy. And before he can tell him, Carl already drags Misha to the middle of the stage and the music starts, freezing them both. Jensen's mind races to come up with a solution but before he can move, Misha saves himself. Or at least he tries. With something that might pass as dancing if he was 5 years old. He lifts his arms and sways to the music. 

In all his years Jensen has never seen something that was horrible and adorable at the same time. Until now. He's so fascinated he still doesn't move but Misha misinterprets his immobility as refusal and stops dancing with a disappointed look on his face. It really shouldn't rip Jensen's heart out but it kind of does and the same mysterious power that brought him on stage forces him to move again. 

A second later he's next to Misha to link arms with him and without listening to the music they give a very bad Rockettes impression. It's neither skilled nor graceful but entertaining enough for the crowd. They actually cheer and join in and at least they can say that no one else has ever done something like this before. When the music stops Carl crowns them as the winners and Jensen is happy about two things. They can finally leave the stage and Misha's smile is true again.

It stays that way through a few more drinks and dances and although they don't talk very much Jensen can't remember the last time he had so much fun. He loses himself in the good feeling and is still on cloud nine when they leave and make their way back to the bridge. At some point their conversation comes back to fishing and this time Jensen's mind is too far gone to be down-to-earth. “You know, we should go on a fishing trip someday.”

Misha showers him with another one of those damn smiles and Jensen finally realizes what irritates him so much. Misha always looks like he already knows something Jensen hasn't grasped yet. It's frustrating and interesting at the same time but Misha always escapes him before he can pin the feeling down. “Is that a euphemism for drowning me?”

Jensen shrugs. “Maybe you'll trip less when the ground already moves.” He grins, waiting for one of Misha's witty replies but he just gets a nod instead. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes. Let's go on a fishing trip.” 

It's very hard not to smile too hard, so Jensen nods to the railing. “Now?”

Misha laughs and shakes his head. “I'm not opposed to the idea but maybe we should wait till after our performance?”

“Don't say I didn't ask.”

“I wouldn't dare.”

Is there are reason why they're grinning at each other? It takes a while till the thought catches up to Jensen but then he rubs his hands together and shrugs again. “Okay, then maybe sleep would be good idea. We have a lot more practice ahead of us.”

Misha sighs deeply and there aren't even the slightest remains of a smile on his face. “Really? Can't we have a break for at least one day?”

Jensen shakes his head. “Believe me, Angel, that's just the beginning. It's going to get so much worse.”


End file.
